Wildest Nightmares
by Raederle
Summary: The problems of the Christa intensify as the crew has to go onto an alien planet to catch a kidnapper.
1. Teaser

_Third Episode of the Don't Say You Love Me series..._

Wildest Nightmares

"Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame -" 

"Radu!" Bova yelled in as much of a whisper as he could. Radu's eye popped open at the sound and looked about warily. 

"Bova?" He still sounded rather sleepy. "What's going on?" 

"You. On and on." Bova said sarcastically. "This time I recorded you." 

Bova hit a button on the CompuPAD he was holding. "Ngame Ngame Ngame -" 

Radu pushed the CompuPAD away, stopping the sound. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Bova." 

"I needed a midnight snack anyway." He shrugged. "I just wanted you to know how weird you sound." 

"Still... sorry." 

"Don't be. Harlan's not." 

They looked over at Harlan, who was blissfully snoring away. The boys laughed. 

"Maybe you should record him." Radu suggested. 

"And play it for Suzee." 

Radu grinned. "We'd better go back to sleep." 

"Nah, I'm gonna hit the galley first." Bova hopped up off the bed. "You want something?" 

"No thanks, Bova. A good night's sleep for once would be nice, though." 

"You shouldn't take your dreams so seriously, Radu." Bova yawned. "It's just random brain activity." 

"Yeah, well." Radu flopped down on his pillow. "Happy eating." 

"Sweet dreams." Bova called as he jumped into the jump tubes. 

"Yeah right." Radu muttered as he closed his eyes. A few minutes of the darkness of his eyelids were overwhelmed by exhaustion, and Radu soon fell asleep. He lay there for a few moments, then his eyelids began to shift around in dream. 

" Ngame Ngame Ngame..." 


	2. Part One

Wildest Nightmares   
_Part One_

About 08:00 hours that morning, two rather sleepy young cadets stumbled, yawning onto the Command Post. Only to receive a nasty glare from their teacher. 

"I honestly don't know when you boys will learn how important it is for STARDOGs to be well rested and ready for the day." Ms. Davenport lectured them. Rosie giggled and winked at Radu. He tired his best not to smile, thus ensuring the full wrath of their teacher. "Isn't that right, Commander?" 

The Commander had just walked in. He made a large and ironic yawn. 

"Sure. I know all about that." He said sarcastically, sipping his coffee. Davenport threw her hands up in the air. He smirked at her. 

"It's not like we were having a party last night, Ms. Davenport." Harlan protested. "If they had been, I would have woken up." 

"I wouldn't count on it." Bova grumbled. "Sleeping beauty." 

Suzee stared into space with genuine boredom. Useless chatter, nothing scientific of interest going on. Though she supposed it was a good thing they had this morning ritualistic banter. It showed how used to each other they were becoming. Like a real crew. She delved up a difficult math problem from the back of her mind and focused on trying to solve it. 

"Are you cold, Radu?" Rosie asked. He'd been staring forward in a strange way, with a strange look on his face. Like he was haunted. "You're shaking." 

The crew turned to look at him. Radu licked his lips nervously. He could feel his ears turning red. 

"No, I-I- I just..." He focused his eyes forcefully. "Something in this sector is creeping me out. It's not in my readings. Just a feeling." 

"You find a face to that feeling, and I'll check it out for you." Suzee laughed. Her eyes met his meaningfully. _I mean that, solo boy. We're a team. We don't want you going anything alone anymore._

"Thanks." He returned brightly. 

"Commander?" Rosie broke in. "We're receiving a call." 

The Commander raised a brow curiously. "Put it onscreen." 

"Greetings, Luminarians, we are the Iolia. We are in dire need of your aid." The officer on the screen said. He seemed fairly young, but confident, and had rings of stress under his eyes. The Iolians were brightly colored with long sideburns down their cheeks. Their ears had two points; their eyes, two pupils. 

"Nobody here but us STARDOGS." Bova said jovially. Goddard gave him a semi-stern glare to keep from laughing. 

"I don't know if we can help, but we will do our best." He said to the officer. 

The officer arched a furry brow skeptically. "Any of you I would have heard of?" 

"These are cadets. I'm Commander Seth Goddard." 

"_Seth Goddard!?_ The Grim Reaper?" 

Suzee chuckled as she saw the Commander's ears take after Radu's in changing color. 

"The same." He sighed shaking his head. 

"Our prayers have been answered!" The Iolian said clapping his hands together and casting a look of joy over his shoulder at the other officers. 

"What kind of god were they praying to?" Harlan teased the Commander softly. Goddard rolled his eyes. 

"God of Disaster." Goddard said wryly under his breath. 

"You were the officer that busted open Seleney Grimes' crime ring. We _need_ someone like you. The undercover work you did in the prison was genius!" 

"Well," Goddard conceded with a bemused expression. "Breaking the rules and getting caught seems to be a latent talent of mine." 

Davenport winced as the Iolian laughed at the perceived joke. 

"Seriously, Commander. Will you help us?" 

"Well, if the rest of the crew is willing, I'll do what I can." He glanced over his young crew for their thoughts. Rosie looked happy. Suzee intrigued. Bova looked bored, and Harlan looked up for some adventure. Radu looked extremely worried. In light of the things that tended to follow Radu's "bad feelings," Goddard was a bit hesitant. Concern was knitting the brows of his navigator, and Radu realized that Goddard was actually looking to him for his thoughts. He licked his lips and sighed, closing his eyes. He looked up at the Commander and nodded reluctantly. 

"Though I'm probably pretty rusty." He turned his head back to the screen. 

"Nonsense. You'll have this solved in a matter of days." The Iolian scoffed. "My name is Keimer Zung. I'll prepare you a landing site." 

"Thank you." Davenport said courteously. 

"Oh, and Goddard?" 

"Hm?" 

"Weren't you... a captain?" 

***

Suzee wiped her brow angrily. _Still not strong enough!_

"Why don't you work out with Rosie, huh?" Harlan demanded. Suzee cast an indignant look over to two boys, who were enthralled in what had become an evening ritual for them since Radu had gotten his strength back from that Healer. Beating the life out of each other. 

"Rosie doesn't want to learn this stuff. Don't worry, macho men." She sneered. "I won't slow you down." 

Suzee took a corner of the Exercise Sphere to herself and began anew in the holo-kickboxing program Thelma had found for her from the InfoCore. 

"Stop it, Harlan." Radu chided. He smiled warmly over at Suzee, earning himself a whack on the arm. He flung his hands up in defense. "She just wants to be able to take care of herself. I-I don't blame her." 

"Just so she knows that she can count on _us_ to take care of her!" Harlan said loudly enough for her to hear through the holo-headset. Suzee sniffed and pointedly ignored them. 

"Better get some sleep." She panted a few minutes later. "If you guys want to try… _not_ crashing the ship." 

Radu and Harlan looked at each other dubiously. Then promptly both stuck their tongues out at her. 

***

"She's never gonna let us forget that." Harlan grumbled, pulling on his nightshirt. Radu fluffed his wet hair with a towel. 

"Probably not." Radu agreed. "But y-you have to admit, that really was her first impression of us. Staring blankly at her, slamming the ship into the side of a cliff." 

Harlan made a face. "Kissing a Spung, stuttering like Porky Pig." 

Radu frowned, and paused a moment. He sat on his bed slowly, then threw a pillow at Harlan. "Shut up." 

"I'm not lying! Mention Elmira around her and watch and see if she doesn't freak out." Harlan tossed the pillow back. 

"It's not like that." 

"Oh? How is it?" Harlan wiggled his eyebrows in insinuation. Radu rolled his eyes. 

"C-c-can I just get some sleep tonight?" 

"Probably not." Bova grumbled, walking in. 

"What do you think, Bova?" Harlan smirked. "Is Radu two-timing Suzee and Elmira?" 

Bova raised a brow. "You're sick. You know that, don't you?" 

"See?" Radu said, leaning back onto his pillow. 

"Just making conversation." 

"Well, don't. It's not like either is an option anyway." 

"Why's that?" 

"Harlan, go to bed." Radu muttered. "Who's Porky Pig? What are you calling me?" 

"Um, forget it." Harlan started to laugh. 

"You don't want to know." Bova insisted. "Goodnight." 

***

The crew looked around the docking bay on Iolia, which was pretty typical of every port they'd see so far on their trip. People of different races going back and forth on business. Davenport turned to Goddard. 

"You never mentioned being on the team that took in Seleney Grimes. I didn't even know that you'd served in STARDOG intelligence." 

"Isn't that an oxymoron?" Harlan asked. Radu and Bova grinned. 

Goddard turned his head away. "It's called undercover for a reason, TJ." 

She pursed her lips, and shot him a _yeah right_ look. 

"I've served in a lot of areas. I was seventeen, after all, when I graduated from the StarAcademy." Crossing his arms he sighed. "And, well... I don't talk about the Seleney Grimes case because... I don't like to think about it." 

Davenport tilted her head a bit in interest. 

"I actually went into the prison undercover for that cases, as you know. I had to pretend... no, that's not accurate. I had to _be_ a cutthroat criminal. Nothing else would do if I wanted to complete my mission... and keep my life. Think like a criminal, do everything they do. Get into Grimes' head. He trusted me completely, which is pretty _rare_ on the inside, and if I slipped even once..." 

Goddard took one hand up to rub his neck. Sighing again, he shook his head and continued in a monotone. "It wasn't a fun assignment. I don't like to talk about it." 

"So you said." Davenport said conclusively. If he didn't want to talk, she wouldn't press him further. This was going to be difficult enough, she was certain. 

"The STARDOGS, they recruit intelligence agents from their own ranks?" Suzee asked, changing the subject. 

"Yes." Goddard said flatly. "It is mostly voluntary though... and sometimes they take ex-cons-" 

"Commander Seth Goddard!" 

A tall, broad shouldered Iolian came towards them, followed by a stout foul-tempered looking woman. 

"I'm Dijonreel Kiez, Prime Minister of our beautiful Iolian." He said, pumping Goddard's hand heartily. 

"Good to meet you. Can you brief us on what's going on here?" 

"_I_ can." The woman said. Her gaze was fixed in a permanent scowl. Her orange, gray-speckled hair radiated in odd angles around her head, and her right had was obviously a cybernetic replacement. "I'm Talia Katz, PBI special officer in charge." 

"PBI?" Davenport inquired. 

"Planetary Bureau of Investigation." Goddard explained. _I should have guessed that pompous fluff wasn't in charge of a criminal investigation._

"We truly have a planetary crisis here, Commander. I've been briefed on your record. I'm glad you're on our team, but remember, I'm in charge here." 

Suzee rolled her eyes. 

"And you little chibis had better not get involved." Talia snapped. Suzee leaned her head forward in nonchalant defiance. 

"Hey, Radu, you up for some spin the bottle? I think we're not wanted here." 

Goddard grimaced in sympathy as the boy's face turned completely red. 

"Cadets" Goddard barked abruptly. Suzee raised a brow as the condition cadets actually snapped to attention. _Damn ETE._ "I'll let you come along _only_ if you are quiet and promise to behave." 

Talia started to protest, but Goddard raised a hand. "They're young and inexperienced, but they have been very good at figuring things out in the past." 

"I'm more worried about the danger they may be in." She replied tersely. Goddard nodded. 

"Give the word and they go. But they may be helpful." 

"We'll see." She muttered. "Walk with me. I'll explain on the way to our landrover." 

"Alright." Goddard motioned with his head for them to follow. 

"All over the planet, children have been going missing." She began. The young crew started looking at each other. "So far, there's no real pattern, save that a few of the children were described as flighty, hard to teach. But not enough of them to draw a conclusion. Brilliant, in some cases, but a difficult to deal with. Other than this weak lead it seems completely random. 

No evidence is left behind. They simply disappear from their beds at night, as though transported away. But our readings, taken mere hours afterward, show no transporter activity, no aberrant readings of any kind." 

They reached the rover. 

"Any brilliant deductions so far?" Dijonreel asked the children teasingly. Harlan shot an offended look to his comrades but had nothing to say. 

"Um... have y-y-you t-taken readings f-for psionic activity?" Radu ventured softly. Talia turned around in surprise. 

"Iolians are not a telepathic race." 

Well... Earthers and Rigelian species aren't re-reported as telepathic, but they still have occasional cases of Psychic Epilepsy and Autistics anyway." 

"And anyway, they could have _hired_ someone." Suzee pointed out. "A telemorph maybe. Barring that your scanning equipment isn't inferior, which is possible, since technology theft is so rampant these days even low-tech criminals can get hold of something destructive." 

"That's true." Goddard said. "Have you investigated the import merchants yet?" 

"Yes, actually. Very astute, chibi-fille." Talia nodded to Suzee, who rolled her eyes again and shot a discreet smile to Radu. "Our scanning equipment isn't inferior. At least not for our planet. As I said, we aren't psionics, so there was no need to develop equipment that could deal with that sort of thing." 

"But now that you have more interplanetary trade, it will probably become a need." Suzee said shortly. 

"Take that up with the Minister of Defense, not me." Talia glared at Dijonreel, who flushed and pointed to the rover. 

"Let's get to the station." 

***

Goddard looked over the staff in the closed meeting critically. Davenport and the children had been left behind in a common room, much to their dismay, and he'd been invited to this meeting, where all of the main players had agreed to share information. 

"Goddard," One of the men at the table stood and approached him. He was fairly young, in comparison to the other officials, but had a few white streaks in his auburn hair nonetheless. "I'm Secretary of Defense Taito. I'm sure you've heard as many bad things about me as I've heard good about you." 

A wry grin played across Goddard's lips. "It could be the other way around if your people were on the inside of STARDOG politics." 

"Politics are a twitch. The important thing is that we get something done here, right?" 

"Exactly. I take it you've been in on this investigation?" 

Taito smoothed his hair. "To Agent Talia's displeasure, yes. I've been checking in with all the import-export merchants. Sending men to look at their records, making sure they're all clean. Problem with this planet is, we never have a crisis like this. We've only had one big leader in the Black Market, and we caught him years ago." 

"Small planet?" Goddard noted incredulously. "And no new dealers?" 

"Hn. I believe he's running his organization from the inside." Taito said shaking his head. His eyes, nearly black, bore into Goddard as he looked back up. "Normally, I can get a hold of his goto guy, the middle man. Since we know where all the orders are coming from, why flush him out? We'd just be making room for a new threat. There's not a whole lot he can do from the inside anyway." 

"You'd be surprised how much a resourceful and intelligent man can do from the inside." Goddard replied gravely. Taito rubbed his chin. 

"But this time, I can't find a middle man. And Gellius isn't talking. We need to either close door to open a new one, if you know what I mean." 

Goddard nodded. "Looks like the meeting is about to start. Would you mind showing me his records after the meeting? I'd like to give him a shot." 

Taito leaned back in one of the chairs and regarded Goddard seriously. "You got an idea?" 

"Well. You opposed to Tough Love?" 

A wicked grin crawled across Taito's face. 

***

"Well, sir. I. Just. Don't. _Know_ what I'll do if you don't cooperate. What would you do to me if you were in my place, and the lives of hundreds of innocent children depended on my help?" Goddard demanded. The Christa's crew chuckled quietly from behind the two-way mirror. 

"Sounds like when he's interrogating _me_." Harlan snickered. Talia cocked her head at him. She and two other officers had agreed to watch Goddard's interrogation, a bit dubiously. The Iolian crimelord obviously knew they were watching. And didn't care in the slightest. He'd even given them a broad wink at one point. But neither he nor Goddard seemed to be wearing down. 

"He's impressive. I'll give him that." Talia muttered to herself. 

"He doesn't know anything." Radu said under his breath. Rosie looked at him. 

"What's going on?" She asked with concern. Radu was acting weird again. 

"I don't think this guy knows anything. Maybe the Commander can get him to help though." Radu sighed softly. Talia eyed him. 

"How could you possibly know that?" 

Radu blushed fiercely but couldn't think of an answer. 

Suzee reared her head back. "I should just Pitch into him and be done with it. This is ridiculous. He's a criminal!" 

"If the Prime Minister would let me, I'd say feel free." Talia said matter-of-factly. "That may be true though. Gellius has a lot of connections and could help us a lot if he wanted to. However, that yaro seems more intimidated by Goddard then he was by me. Must be the uniform." 

Suzee smirked mischievously and nudged Rosie. The girls both smiled. 

"We like men in uniform, too!" Rosie said cheerfully as she rubbed up against Radu, while Suzee did the same for Bova. 

Talia burst out laughing at the look on the boys' faces. 

"I meant the STARDOG insignia, chibi-ettchis." Talia sighed with mock exasperation as she turned her head back to the interrogation. 

"I'd probably have you fitted for titanian shoes." Gellius said frigidly, keeping his eyes on Goddard as he walked back and forth. 

"But then I'd never be able to help you. How are you supposed to interrogate me then?" 

Gellius shrugged and bared his teeth in a gruesome smile. "Not my problem." 

"It will be your problem when that precious little daughter of yours gets gone." 

Gellius scowled. "I don't got children." 

"Yeah. Sure." Goddard sat down in front of the criminal and crossed his arms. "Maybe that will help you cope when whoever is abducting these kids gets her. I'm sure her mother will be really pleased, too. I'll let you know when we find her mutilated in a ditch." 

"Didn't know that Gellius had a kid." Talia muttered. Davenport looked at her. 

"How do you suppose the Commander found out?" 

"Hell if I know how STARDOGS get any of their info." Talia answered. Gellius hadn't responded. He just glared at Goddard, daring him to speak again. But the Commander remained perfectly silent and emotionless. 

"How do you know about her?" Gellius finally demanded. "I had her and her mother taken away to a safe place when I got locked up." 

"Mika Treis has been a demonstrative voice in the search for the children. She was very cooperative when the Secretary of Defense let me question her." 

"She's scared?" Gellius asked flatly. 

"Very. Pan has been sleepwalking since the whole thing began. She's worried the girl will wander into danger while whoever the nutjob is that's pulling this is loose." 

"Then I'll stop wasting your time." Gellius said roughly. "I can't help you." 

"Gellius-" Goddard said sternly. 

"I really can't. Katz and the whole PBI know I run the Black Market around here, so you know I'd know. Technology isn't what we're into importing. There's no market here on this rock. Drugs and prohibited animals sell, not special techs." He frowned. "I've got my fingers on all the merchants, so they don't try to start something up in my absence. If someone did smuggle a foreign transporter here, it was a man-to-man deal. Probably even contracted them off the planet. Maybe through the Spacenet." 

"Okay. Good. Know anyone we might be able to squeeze that out of?" 

Gellius shrugged. "If it _is_ the Spacenet, Parallax is your man. He can track all the messages to and from this planet. Anyway, you're gonna need some clues, cause you'll be looking into every person coming to and from this planet since we got space travel." 

"We'll check that out." Goddard said. He got up to leave. 

"Yo, STARDOG." 

"What?" 

"Catch that yaro." 

Goddard walked out of the room and into the adjoining one. 

"You liar." Tali said with blatant approval. "I bet Pan has been doing nothing of the sort." 

"So? Since we don't know the pattern, that kid is as vulnerable as any of them. I needed him to be serious about this. Taito and I decided, with a crimelord, family is the best was to get them real serious real fast." 

Talia shrugged. "Well, at least we have something. I'll talk to Parallax. He's secretive, but a gloryhound. He'll do the search for us if we get him in the papers." 

"He's helped before." Davenport asked. 

"On a few occasions. Mostly buying himself immunity for other charges." 

Goddard leaned against the wall and rubbed his forehead pensively. "How old is he?" 

"Earth Standard? Seventeen." 

"How old are the oldest being taken?" 

"Fourteen." 

"Figures." Bova muttered. 

"Maybe it has to do with that." Harlan suggested. "Serial killers on Earth usually target a certain age when they go after kids." 

"True, Harlan, but Earthers usually target one age only, or type of kid." Goddard pointed out. "How young are they being taken?" 

"Youngest so far was three." 

"A group maybe?" Harlan suggested again. Goddard frowned. 

"Like a cult?" 

Harlan nodded. 

"Maybe. It's a thought." He turned back to Talia. "While you talk to Parallax, why don't I take a look at some of the kids' rooms? A fresh perspective on the crime scene." 

"I agree, but leave the kids behind." 

"Hey," Harlan protested. 

"Fourteen and under, Harlan. I don't want you guys around the crime scene unless we have some armed forces." Goddard reminded them sternly. "Ms. Davenport, could you take them back to the ship?" 

"Certainly." She began guiding Rosie and Bova out the door. "Come along. We have lessons that have been getting neglected." 

The statement was met with general groaning. 

***

"Fourteen and under." Harlan complained flopping back on the circular couch, after they'd finally freed themselves from Davenport's lesson. "Suzee, Radu, and me could have gone!" 

"I don't think it's such a good idea for us to split up, Harlan. The Commander was right to leave us behind." Suzee said. She wrinkled her nose. "I can't believe I just said that. Anyway, you need to study." 

Radu licked his lips and grinned. "So, what? The kidnappers would be fooled by my overwhelming maturity?" 

"Yeah," Rosie said, walking over with some drinks. "Wouldn't you be the most vulnerable?" 

She set the drinks down and smiled. "I mean, if it's all about age?" 

"Gee, I dunno, Rosie." Bova remarked facetiously. "I mean he's only eleven, after all. He might just slip by." 

"I'm twelve!" Radu protested indignantly. Then softer and a bit sheepishly: "I guess that's not much of a defense." 

Suzee chuckled. "Radu's our baby." 

Rosie gave him a squeeze. 

Radu blushed and licked his lips. "It can't be just age. More kids would be taken." 

"Maybe the kidnapper's pacing himself." Bova offered. 

"And maybe he'd busy choosing his next victims." Suzee said, rolling her eyes. 

"I don't know, he's got to be keeping them somewhere." Harlan pointed out. "And like you said. There'd be more missing. He's only taken a couple dozen from what I heard." 

"So what do these kids have in common." Rosie asked. Bova sighed. 

"You heard Agent Talia. Nothing." 

"There _is_ a link." Radu insisted softly. "They just haven't found it so far, so they say it isn't there." 

He licked his lips and continued. "But someone has to find it. Or, I just... have this _feeling_, that these missing kids will be _praying_ that this guy was a serial killer." 

Suzee drew in a sharp breath. Bova shivered, and Rosie hugged Radu tighter. The silence weighed the five students down and gnawed at their growing fears. They just sat there, looking at each other worriedly. After what seemed like a millennium, the door to the lounge opened. 

Goddard grinned at his young crew, who had all started upon his entrance. 

"It's not so bad, now is it?" He said, somewhat smiling at them. 

"We want to see one of the children's rooms." Suzee demanded. 

"I'll have to get Talia's permission, but I don't think this is going to be as dangerous for you as we'd thought." 

"Why's that?" Harlan asked. 

"I found a connection." 

""Whoa! Alright, Commander!" 

"It wasn't that groundbreaking actually." He shrugged and pulled a chair up backwards to their couch and had a seat. "I noticed a religious pamphlet in a couple of the parents' living rooms. After checking with their neighbors," He shook his head. "No pamphlets. Only the victims' houses had that particular one. Talia's having her men run a fingerprint scan on a few of the papers. Hopefully, we'll be able to determine whether this is a one man job or a group." 

"What religious group were they for?" Radu asked. "And did the parents have a similar description of the guys handing them out?" 

"Emagdne's Alliance Church. And, no. A couple of the parents said he looked familiar, but other than that fact that it was a man, no." 

"Is there an Emagdne's Alliance Church?" Suzee asked skeptically. 

"Nope. Not according to PBI records, but someone had to print the flyers." 

"Smooth, " Suzee said approvingly. "So the kids are being picked by some door to door so he wouldn't bother with us." 

"That's what I'm hoping, but we'll still have to be careful. I'll deal with Talia. You may be able to come along tomorrow." 

"Cool." Harlan said. 

"This isn't cool, Harlan. This is serious. And I expect you to be that way. We may be interrogating some of the parents, and well, you should know by now what I expect of you." 

Goddard got up slowly to leave. "I'll see you in the morning." 

***

"Home. Please let us go home." 

Bova awoke suddenly to hear a heart-wrenching plea from the Andromedan in the next bed. He rose from his bunk and looked over Radu. Pitiful tears glistened on his face. 

"Let us go home. Please." Radu whispered. "Please... Father..." 

With the last words creeping him out, Bova began to shake Radu as hard as he could. The boy didn't move much; he was too heavy for Bova to budge. But Radu opened his eyes and blinked at him. 

"What is it, Kojo?" Radu said softly, but with irritation in a strange voice. 

"Radu, quit it. You're freaking me out." 

"Go back to bed, Kojo!" He cried. "I promise there's no one trying to get you. There's no one outside. Go to bed!" 

Harlan bolted upright in his bed. "Go back to bed, guys!" 

"Harlan, there's something wrong with Radu." Bova said firmly. Harlan go up clumsily and walked over to Radu's bunk, leaning over close to his ear. 

"WAKE UP, SPIRAL EARS!!" He yelled. Radu shot out of bed. 

"That'll work." Bova admitted. 

"What?!" Radu winced agonizingly, holding the ear that Harlan had shouted in. 

"You were dreaming again." Bova explained flatly. 

""Wh-what, that all?" Radu favored them both with a pained look. 

"You sounded real weird, Radu. I thought you were possessed or something." 

"Sorry." He muttered, still rubbing his ear. _I'm gonna feel that for days._

Harlan yawned and hopped back in his bunk. "Whatever." 

Bova frowned at the both. "You're probably losing your mind." 

"Probably." Radu concurred, grabbing his pillow. "I'll go in the lounge so I don't wake you up anymore." 

"Don't. I don't want you quiet. I can sleep through it. I just want you to stop having those dreams." 

"I'm sorry, Bova. I don't remember them." 

Bova sighed in frustration and turned back to his bed. "Probably nothing I could do anyway." 


	3. Part Two

Wildest Nightmares   
_Part Two_

"Age of accountance." 

Everyone turned as they heard the soft words of Radu. They'd been looking at the victims' houses all day. Questioning, observing. Goddard looked particularly frustrated, after he'd returned to the group from a meeting with the Secretary of Defense. And Radu hadn't said a word the whole time. Until now. 

"What do you mean by that, chibi?" Talia asked sensitively. The mother who lived in this house was sitting next to her listening intently. 

"Um..." Radu licked his lips nervously. He'd said it very softly. Of that he was certain. How had they heard him? "It-it's a term used... to describe the state of innocence during childhood. Or really, the point when kids leave that innocence. Andromedans use it to name the time when children will all be reaccepted to the Universe regardless of their actions when they die. I think Earthers use a form of it, too." 

"But why did you say it?" Talia asked tersely. The mother looked up pleadingly. 

"Do you think my baby's dead?" 

Radu blinked in surprise. "No... n-no. I-I think she's fine. I-I m-mean that... the man taking them want to still be innocent. There aren't many fifteen year olds that are completely innocent." 

The mother looked at him cautiously. "How do you know she's alright?" 

"I don-don't. I'm not-not the detective, but... from what they've shown me... it doesn't, um... look like a serial killer." 

The mother turned to Talia for confirmation. 

"It does seem as though we'd have found some bodies by now, m'am. We've found none. And the MO... well, it just doesn't seem likely." Talia offered reluctantly. The last thing she wanted was to give this woman false hope. Goddard put a firm hand on Radu's shoulder. He seemed to be extraordinarily nervous. Had been since the case started. Radu looked up at him with worried eyes. Goddard fervently wished he could ease Radu's fears. Or at least end this case and get all the kids out of here. 

"Please, Ms. Kryton, don't get your hopes up too high... or worry too much. If she's out there, we'll find her." Goddard said, trying to install some sense of reassurance. He'd never really been good at that part. 

"Can we see her room?" Talia asked. Ms. Kryton nodded and motion up the stairs. The other officers stayed put while everyone else made their way up to the young victim's room. 

"Wow. How old was she again?" Suzee asked, surveying the brightly colored room. This kid had more stuffed animals than Rosie. 

"She was thirteen." Ms. Kryton said clenching her fists nervously. 

"I think you're right about that innocence thing." Suzee whispered almost inaudibly. Radu perked his ears and discretely walked over to her. 

"I didn't want to mention it, but children are easiest to mold to your own purpose when they're young. That's why the Spung wanted the hatchlings so badly." Radu told her almost as softly. "Up 'till fifteen, you can mold an Andromedan to whatever you want. Perfect slaves." 

"You're kind of gullible, Radu, but I wouldn't call you innocent." 

"My mind grew up too fast." He said dejectedly. Suzee rubbed his shoulders. Harlan noticed the conversation and walked over. 

"Don't hold out on me, guys. What's up?" 

"We'll tell you later." Radu said. _Harlan probably doesn't have the discretion for this kind of thing._ "It wasn't important." 

"Yeah, we'll conference and swap ideas later." Suzee winked at him. Rosie and Bova walked up. 

"This is pointless. They aren't going to find anything new." Bova sighed. "Did you give this girl decorating pointers, Rosie?" 

"I bet Commander Goddard will figure it out without having to go to any more houses." Rosie chimed, ignoring him. Bova took a cue from Suzee and rolled his eyes. 

"I doubt it. You heard that they couldn't conclusively place wherever they made those pamphlets." 

"It's only been one day, Bova." Suzee snapped. "Give it time. They still have to run a fingerprint and DNA match, too. Leaving those behind was a pretty big slip-up." 

"What's going on, guys?" Goddard walked up behind them. 

"We're talking about how this is going nowhere fast." Bova shrugged. Goddard looked at the ceiling. 

"Unfortunately, you're right. We haven't found anything new at these houses. We'll check a few more then head home for the day. These things take time. Time we don't have, I might add." Goddard frowned. The kids looked up with anticipation. "Two more kids disappeared last night." 

The crew looked at the ground, disappointed and depressed. There was nothing to say, or that they could even do. Without a clue or two. 

Radu's ears perked up, and he headed for the window. Glass. Not many buildings still used glass for windows. They usually used force fields. The view was clearer, and you didn't have to clean them. It was then he saw the hand. 

_That can't be._ He thought. _We're three stories up. I don't even hear anyone outside._

He drew nearer to the window, staring at that semitransparent hand. 

"Radu?" Rosie called softly. When he didn't respond she began walking over to him. Then he began to levitate. "Commander, come here!" 

Goddard turned around quickly to see his floating navigator. A sudden gust of wind came out of nowhere and pushed him back. Radu's long hair fluttered in its strength. It caught the gleam of a blue light, making his hair shimmer and almost glow a white ethereal color. 

"Nabiki. Where are you?" Radu asked intensely. "Let me help you!" 

"Radu!" Goddard pushed forward, fighting the wind and reaching for the young man. Harlan blocked Suzee and Rosie to keep them from getting too close. 

"No! Don't!" 

"We have to help him!" Suzee cried. 

"No! If this- Just trust him." Bova intervened. Rosie stopped fighting against Harlan. Going limp, she looked up at her friend with tears in her eyes. 

"Be safe." She whispered. 

"Nabiki. Nabiki, _please_!" 

Then the glass splintered and Radu fell hard on the ground. He didn't move. 

"Radu!" Goddard grabbed the student's face and tried to look into his eyes. "Are you alright?" 

"I'm fine." He replied weakly. "What happened?" 

"Get these kids out of here, Goddard!" Talia growled, grabbing Rosie by her collar. 

"Talia-" 

"No, I've had enough. I'm doing an investigation, not a babysitting job!" 

"Wait." 

Talia ceased her reaming to look at Ms. Kryton. 

"He said her name. I never told the children her name." Ms. Kryton kneeled to face the strange Andromedan child. "Did you really see her?" 

"I- I don-don't remember. I though I saw her... then..." 

"The glass is broken from the outside." Suzee remarked. "Someone pushed it. Talia, can you get fingerprints on this?" 

Talia reached in her satchel, grabbed a case of dust, and started to work. 

"Nabiki has blue hair. She just dyed a blond streak on the right side..." Ms. Kryton prodded. 

"And she has ruby eyes... and a smooth clear voice." Radu finished. He put his head in his hands. "I-I asked her where she was, but she got upset." 

"Maybe we shouldn't bring the kids along anymore." Goddard admitted softly. 

"We've been to ten houses, and this is the first where anything happened." Talia said standing with a rather huge shard of glass in her hand. "There's a small print on this glass, but just barely. And there's no grooves." 

"Someone's been out walking." Radu said flatly. "I hope she's not in trouble for trying to contact me." 

"Maybe a manipulation?" Suzee offered. "To trick us?" 

"Why would he bother?" Bova pointed out. "I mean he's winning. And he hasn't taken any alien kids, right?" 

Talia nodded. "We've contacted the closest planets, and they haven't reported anything like this." 

"So maybe these kids he's got aren't so easily controlled." 

"That's my Nabiki." Ms. Kryton smiled. Radu nodded, trying to stand. However, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he sat back down. 

"Take it easy, big guy." Commander Goddard placed a hand on his shoulder. There was a slightly frightened look in Radu's eyes. Bova frowned, remembering something. 

"The name Kojo ring a bell?" 

Talia narrowed her eyes. "Hn. Kojo Moroka, was one of the missing children. Him and his older brother." 

"Well, they paid Radu a visit last night." 

Radu looked up at them anxiously, once again forced into the spotlight. "Visiting someone on the dreamplane is about the easiest thing you can do... contacting someone psychically. It's also one of the hardest methods to tract, since everyone goes there when they sleep." 

"Let's take a break for the day." Talia suggested. "Radu, could you find the children on the dreamplane?" 

"If they were sleeping, too, yeah. But it might take awhile, since I don't know them real well." 

"Wait." Goddard said as he helped the Andromedan to his feet. "I don't want you contacting anyone without supervision." 

"I won't." Radu promised. Ms. Kryton put her arm around him. 

"Yes," She said, smiling. "No need to be careless, darling." 

***

"Well, at least we have a lead now." Rosie said happily, scanning her consol. Bova sniffed disdainfully. Ms. Davenport had decided the free afternoon was a perfect time to run a routine diagnostic. 

"I'm not sure I really want to risk following that lead, Rosie." Goddard admitted from under the helm, which Radu was so aptly holding up for him. Radu let out a breath nervously. Goddard finished up the section he was checking and slid out from under the controls. "Something on your mind, Radu?" 

"That obvious?" Radu eased the helm back onto the floor. He licked his lips nervously. "It's just.. these things that are happening? Sensing presences, getting psychic messages? It's not normal Andromedan stuff. We just navigate and talk to animals with our abilities. The really strong ones become Healers. I could deal with it when Elmira was contacting me. I mean, she's a powerful psionic, but now..." 

"These kids aren't." Goddard concluded. Radu nodded acceptingly. "It bothers you that the more powerful telepath might just be yourself?" 

"I always knew I wasn't normal. For an Andromedan kid, I mean. But this is a little much." 

"I won't make you do anything you aren't comfortable with, Radu. I'm not even sure I want you involved any further. The chance that you might be taken..." 

"But no offworlders have been taken." Rosie said, noting the stress in Radu's eyes. She and Bova had been listening quietly, neglecting their duties. 

"Yeah, but this guy hasn't been leaving any clues." Bova pointed out. "If he finds out that the kids are contacting Radu, he might decide to close off that option if you get my meaning." 

"On both sides." Goddard said pensively. He shook his head. "It might not be a wise venue to pursue." 

"But, I _do_ want to help." Radu protested. _My conflict isn't for my safety. It's within. And I'd never let it stop me from helping those kids, would I?_

"We know, Radu." Rosie said, tilting her head a little and looking up at him. "But we might not let you, because we don't want to lose you." 

***

"What's up with you these days, Suzee?" Radu entered the Exercise Sphere and looked over to the Yensidian madly punching away. She looked over at him quizzically and held a finger up for him to wait a moment. Radu smiled and sat over on the weight bench. 

"What now?" She wiped her brow with a towel and sat beside him. Radu blushed by her close proximity but scolded himself for being silly. All non-Andromedans wore revealing clothing when they exercised. 

"I was j-just wondering... why you've taken up all this all of a sudden?" Radu motioned around him to the weights and the training program she'd been doing. "You look fine." 

Suzee gave him a mock punch on the arm. "Yeah, I know. Thanks." 

She looked up at the top of the Sphere. "I just... I realized recently, I'm not as strong as I want to be. Not just physically, but... sometimes I think I don't cope with things that well." 

Radu looked at her in bewilderment. "You're strong. You're more self-confident than I'll ever be." 

Suzee chuckled. "No, I'm not. I... depend on other people's opinions of me too much. I just want to know, that I could take care of myself if I wanted to, you know? I wouldn't need someone else to tell me what to do." 

Radu still looked confused, so Suzee patted him on the back and grinned at him. "You know how Cat was always saying: Suzee says this, Suzee says that? Well, when I was telling her how to do engineering, which she pretty much knew anyway, she was telling me how to deal with social situations. I can't do it on my own. Every time I try, I get hurt, or I hurt someone else." 

"But, you have to learn how to do it, Suzee. It's not like there's a manual on how to deal with other people." 

"Tell me about it. Truth be told, Radu, you're better with people than me." 

Radu looked down and laughed as he shook his head. "You sure about that?" 

"Yeah. I am." She looked at him fondly. "I just want to be a better person. That's all." 

"I guess I can understand that." Radu met her eyes for a moment and got caught up in a big sweaty hug. 

"For someone with giant ears, you sure are a good listener." 

"Y'think?" 

***

Taito gave Goddard a querulously look as he entered his office rubbing the back of his head. 

"Good night?" The official chuckled. Goddard shook his head in despair. 

"And a worse morning. I had the brilliant idea to keep an eye on the boys last night by spending it in their bunkroom. This morning I got shut into the wall." 

"What?" Suzee laughed, back in the mess hall. 

"The bed snapped him right into the wall." Harlan said cheerfully. Radu cringed a bit at the though. 

"Did anything else happen?" Rosie grabbed Radu around the neck with yet another hug. He was beginning to wonder how many of those he was going to get before they left this planet. 

"Don't ask Harlan. He didn't wake up." Bova grumbled clearing the table. He picked up one or two of the church pamphlets the Commander had left and began to spindle their edges. 

"So," Taito spread out a few record across his desk. "What has you so worried you're willing to sacrifice your sleep for these kids?" 

"I would anyway. It's not like I've ever been a good sleeper anyway. You heard about the incident at the Kryton house, right?" 

"Yes, I did. I didn't think it would be possible for the victims to contact us." 

"Well, this isn't the first time my young officer has had a psionic brush." Goddard perused over the records, trying to find something worth investigating. "This is the stuff Parallax found for you?" 

"Yes. I didn't see anything significant. I was hoping you might see something." Taito ruffled his crimson hair in frustration. "Which one of the kids was it?" 

"Hmm?" Goddard had taken up a longer listing of trade done over private messages. 

Bova looked over at Radu anxiously. Radu licked his lips and looked at everyone. "You should see our bunkroom. My name is written all over it in some weird gunk. Backwards and forwards.... and there was singing." 

Radu suddenly got quiet, remembering how strange it was. 

_Hey! Are you one of the missing kids?_ Radu had shouted in his dreams. The child's face had no features, was nothing but a smooth, blank shell. 

_Radu.... _

Go away... 

Don't come again... we don't want to play. 

Reeling backwards in dreamtime, before him appeared thousands of blank faced children, singing angrily at him. Inner pain. Abuse. There was so much anger, and the intense desire to get revenge. 

_But I want to help!_

_Radu.... _

Go away... 

Don't come again... we don't want to play. 

"That was the freakiest thing you've done yet." Bova accused. Radu squinted at the Uranian. 

"It's not like _I_ was the one singing!" Radu protested. Suzee perked up. 

"So the rest of you heard it?" 

The two boys nodded. "The Commander, Bova, and me." 

"I heard something." Harlan shrugged. He grabbed his CompuPAD and looked down on the rest of the crew. "What it this mean anyway? Don't these kids want to be rescued?" 

"I hope that's not it." Radu replied softly. 

"I said: Which one of the kids was it?" Taito persisted. Goddard looked up at him. 

"Talia and I decided not to make that public until we were sure we could use the information." 

"Understood, still... I'm part of the investigation team." Taito reminded him. "I might like to question the child." 

"Well, that all depends on whether or not you'd like to be questioned by Talia." Goddard shot back good-naturedly. Though the underlining tone said clearly: my crew, my business. "You realize that this record shows the purchase of contrabands." 

"What's that? Which ones?" Taito eagerly looked over the Commander's shoulder. 

"This one," He pointed to some older records. "Is the purchase of Rhombi saliva." 

"So? What does that mean? What's a Rhombi?" 

Goddard glared at him. "It's a creature that produces saliva that can produce psionic properties in anyone who drinks enough of it. Mostly telekinesis. There isn't enough here to develop permanent abilities for someone with no previous talent, but there's certainly enough to start a good augmentation of abilities." 

"That stuff's illegal? I never heard of it." Taito furrowed his brow. "What else?" 

"White Core." 

Taito stared blankly at him. Goddard gritted his teeth. "I hate to say it, but this really is a backwater isn't it?" 

Taito shrugged noncommittally. Goddard sighed in resignation. "Not that that's a bad thing. You don't want White Core circulating on your planet." 

"What does it do?" 

"It disturbs the circadian rhythms of the body, and blocks the production of seratonin. Basically, it makes it impossible to sleep." Goddard rubbed his forehead. "I know a thing or two about it." 

"How so?" 

"Practically every STARDOG cadet in my class was addicted to the stuff. It was legal back then, but only because they didn't know the side effects. Trust me, nail this guy who's importing this stuff." 

"So, do you suppose the kidnapper is trying to keep the kids from dreamwalking?" 

Goddard nodded. "The records say that this purchase was recent. Within the time we entered your sector." 

"I should thank you for coming, Commander. Just for stirring things up." Taito said smiling. "I was beginning to think we'd never get a lead on this guy." 

_I almost wish we hadn't._ Goddard thought to himself. _I'm beginning to get an idea what this guy thinks like._

***

"That's not it." Radu said flatly staring at the wall. Davenport looked up from her reading to see what the boy was talking about. He hadn't said much all day, and Goddard had left them there to do some research on drug trafficking on the planet, so she'd been left to deal with a group of morbidly silent cadets. 

"What's not it?" 

"You don't think they don't want to be rescued?" Harlan said, looking back from the helm. 

"No. There weren't that many presences, and they weren't the same ones that contacted me before. Plus, they weren't really contacting me, more like sending some freaky psi messages to the ship to scare us away." 

Suzee crossed her arms controposto and thought on this a moment. "So maybe, that was the kidnapper." 

"Maybe." Radu admitted. "But I really don't know. And I think there were a few others helping him." 

"Could you place him if you met him?" 

"I've never tried anything like that. I'd have to... try to get a feel of everyone around me." 

Suzee nodded. "And how much different would that be from the other stuff you've done?" 

"I've never tried anything like that before." 

"Nothing wrong with trying to get stronger, Radu." She said softly. Harlan cast them a demeaned glance, uncomfortably feeling a bit outside the conversation. 

"Why don't you just Pitch into him and find out if he can do it?" 

"No!" They both yelled at the same time. Suzee and Radu looked at each other for a moment and started to laugh. 

"No offense, Radu. It was quite enough the first time." 

A sideways smirk crossed Radu's face. "I agree." 

"So, would you like to try what I suggested?" Suzee raised a brow. 

"I'll try. I don't think it'll be that easy though." 

"Nothing ever is." Bova reminded him. With a whoosh the door to the classroom opened up and Goddard strode in briskly. 

"Am I interrupting?" He asked Davenport, who looked up listlessly. 

"Not me." She replied looking over at the students. Goddard creased his brow, not quite understanding what was going on, but continued regardless. 

"Would you guys like to come with me? We've arrested a few men who have been pedaling White Core and other drugs on the planet without Gellius' go head. I'd like you to listen to their interrogations." 

Harlan nodded vigorously. "Alright. See, Commander, I knew we'd catch that guy." 

"Don't get too frisky yet." Suzee drawled, getting up. "We haven't caught anyone yet. A potential lead is a potential waste of time." 

"Geez, Suzee you sound like me." Bova said. Rosie smiled at them and followed them out of the room. 

"It's true that we don't know anything for certain, Suzee." Goddard intervened. "But I have a feeling that something we find today will lead us to the kidnapper." 

"STARDOG intuition?" Davenport teased. Goddard raised a brow. 

"Hardly. I just doubt he's had the sense lately to cover his tracks. Being in custody of children can do that to a guy." He sped up and began leading the way before anyone could ask him to elaborate on that comment. 

***

"Good to finally see all of you." Taito said jovially, shaking each of the children's hands in turn. "I hope you have some insight for us on this case." 

"Maybe." Suzee muttered looking up at the Iolian man. _Kinda good-looking. Looks like a pain in the ass though._

"I don't suppose I get to meet our little psychic yet, hm?" Taito gave Goddard a sideways grin and dodged when the man came at him with a mock punch. 

"You're going to get me into trouble." 

"If I've been reading your records right, you don't need any help from me!" The redhead laughed, backing away before Goddard decided to try again. 

"You're so nosy." Goddard accused. 

"I can get him if you can't." Talia offered coming up from behind them. "You missed. I'm disappointed." 

Taito looked away deliberately avoiding the small, tough woman's gaze. 

"You." She said harshly to the Secretary of Defense. "Will stop asking those questions until I give the go ahead." 

"Okay, whatever." Taito capitulated. "Let's go up to the interrogation rooms so your officers can get started." 

_He doesn't know. He didn't recognize me._ Radu thought frantically. He never thought he could actually pinpoint the kidnapper if he met him. He never thought he could actually control his abilities to that extent, to find one psionic presence in the midst of all these people. _Taito doesn't know I'm the one who's been talking to his captives._

Radu could feel his hair rising up a bit with anxiety. He felt like a cat that had just seen a particularly vicious dog come in his yard. He could feel the sweat from his palms dampening his gloves, and hoped no one noticed how distressed he was. 

"For those of us who aren't psychic," Talia said curtly. "This is the Secretary of Defense, Taito Endgame." 

"That's n-not a normal Iolian name, is it?" Radu asked, amazed at how deftly he'd been able to keep his monotone. _All those years of hiding my feelings from the Elders is paying off, I guess._

"No." Taito chuckled. "I picked it up in college. I didn't have a last name, since I was raised in an orphanage." 

"Some college name." Goddard remarked dryly. 

"At least people don't call me death because I'm a drug addict." Taito shot back. Goddard's face remained a mask. 

"I'm not a drug addict." 

"You used to be." 

"Me and every other STARDOG graduate for about ten years. Make a point." 

Taito chuckled and shook his head. "White Core must be a twitch to withdraw from." 

"Tch." Came the only dismissive sound Goddard cared to reply with. A moment later he decided to clarify. "They called me the Grim Reaper because, one I never slept, so I looked like death, and two during the war I was part of Taltos fleet. We got trapped behind enemies lines before we could join the battle and some of us starved to death. Of course I looked hideous. Some people still call me Grim." 

Radu fell a step behind. 

_That's definitely him. No wonder this investigation isn't going anywhere._

_RADU_

He turned his head suddenly to see the light outline of something back near the entrance. He looked back at the group heading to the lift briefly and followed the soft, clear voice. 

_Radu..._

The girl looked at him sadly from what looked like a psionic body, not unlike the one Suzee used when Pitching. He could see through her. 

"Nabiki?" He asked softly. Some one might hear. He might find out. She could die. 

_Yes. Please help us, Radu. You can stop him, I know it._

"How can I? He's got to be so strong. I mean, I want to help-" 

_You're strong! Don't say you're not or you'll lose!!_ She flickered angrily and Radu was afraid she'd disappear. 

"I don't know how." He admitted. Nabiki smiled vengefully. 

_He's been teaching us. I can get you there._ She reached out a semi-transparent hand and looked at him seriously. _You're our only hope. If you tell them, he'll find out, and kill us. And you. And at this point, I don't think the police can save most of us anyway. Not without some one stopping him from what he's doing to us._

Radu stood for a moment, mouth open, thinking this over. _Suzee's gonna beat me. I promised her to start relying on the group more._

He reached out his hand and gently touched hers, feeling the icy coldness that was associated with a state so close to death. The world spun. 

***

Bova glared at Taito from under the many heads in the lift. _Weirdo. I guess he's okay. I mean, the Commander seems to get along with him... still._

He began shredding the edges of that pamphlets he'd swiped. In the reflection of the wall of the lift, he could see the letters backwards, and thought of how their bunk had been defaced. 

_What's the attraction of writing something backwards._ He thought, then looked closer at the reflection. 

_Goddess bless. That says Endgame._

Sure the letters were backwards, but when he sorted it out there was not doubt. This wasn't Emagdne's church at all. Thinking quickly he dug his CompuPAD out of his pocket and hoped ferverently that he still had the file saved. 

"Agent Talia?" A voice came over the com on the lift. 

"What is it, Kahrma?" 

"We found a young alien boy unconscious on the first floor here. Is he with your group?" 

"Radu?" Rosie asked in shock, realizing suddenly that the crowded lift did not contain her friend. 

"Dammit." Bova swore suddenly. Rosie looked at him with surprise, but he was oblivious. He glared hotly at Taito. _That bastard's gotten to him. But how's he doing it?_

"We took him to the infirmary. Would you like to go see him?" The voice over the com said. 

"Yeah, I'll reset the controls." Talia answered. Bova bit his lip and tried to stay quiet. The trip to the upper level seem to take forever. As Goddard began to leave, Bova pulled his sleeve hard. 

"I need to tell you something." 

"Bova, can't it wait?" 

"_No._" Bova insisted. Goddard held a hand up to Davenport to signal he would only be a moment, wondering what had the Uranian so incensed. 

"What is it?" 

"Look at this thing." Bova held the pamplet up to Goddard's face. _I hate being short._

"What?" Goddard shook his head. Bova frowned. 

"Emagdne is Endgame backwards." He paused, waiting for Goddard to make the connection, but lost a battle of patience. "Taito is the kidnapper, I know it." 

"Just that as evidence, Bova-" 

"Not just that. Here's a record I made of Radu, a few days before we reached this planet." Bova turned on the PAD. 

"Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame Ngame-" He cut it off and stared at Goddard. He stared back a moment, then spat out a word Bova had never heard before. 

"Damn him. Argh." Goddard rubbed his head trying to thing of the best way to proceed. "Okay, let me have that evidence. I need to give it to Talia and I don't want Endgame to see you with it." 

Bova handed the articles over. "What about Radu?" 

"Well, let's go see." 

Goddard joined the others in the infirmary to see his concerned crew looking over the navigator. 

"Agent Talia, I don't see anything wrong with him." The doctor protested. Talia almost snarled. 

"Well figure it out." She turned to Goddard to speak, but considered the look on his face first. "What?" 

"I need to show you something." He said meaningfully. She cocked her head and nodded, following him outside. 

"What's this?" Taito asked innocently. 

"I thought she asked you to stop asking." Goddard replied briskly. Taito shrugged and looked down at the boy. 

"Does he do this often?" He asked worriedly. Bova stepped closer and tried to stare him down. 

"Not normally." 

"Doc, could you run a neural scan on him?" Taito asked. "I admittedly don't know much about the subject, particularly Andromedan physiology, but something might turn up. Be sure to-" 

Taito gasped and suddenly grabbed he head and screamed out in pain. 

"Damn... kid." He managed to gasp before his eyes rolled back in his head and he crashed to the floor. 

"What happened?" Talia demanded, reentering the room. The doctor grabbed him and drug him onto another biobed. 

"It's catching." Suzee grimaced. Davenport stepped up. 

"He grabbed his head and cried out." 

"Doiii..." The doctor muttered. 

"What?!" Talia almost shook with impatience. 

"Well, he just suggested I run a neural scan on the boy, so I set one up for them both, and the readings are going crazy. I've never seen this much brain activity. Ever." 

Talia pulled her communicator out of her pocket. "Kahrma, get a security team up here. We have the culprit and he's not going anywhere." 

"What has he done?" Davenport asked. 

"He's our kidnapper. Only now he's unconscious. I don't know what to do now. We have to find those children." 

"You think what happened to Radu is connected?" Rosie asked. She drew closer to the bed and bit her lip. 

"We can find out." Goddard muttered, picking up a hypospray. Davenport grabbed his hand. 

"What do you think you're doing?" 

"Radu said anyone could access the dreamplane. I'm going to go get him." 

"That's dangerous!" She protested. 

"I have to be sure he's alright. These kids are our responsibility!" 

"You _don't_ have to tell me that! I _know_." 

"You wouldn't make it there anyway." A calm regal voice shot at them from across the room. The group looked over to Radu's biobed, where, standing over his as graceful as a doe, was Elmira. 

"Elmira." Goddard said grimly, but with a touch of hope that she might be able to help. He dropped the hypospray and went over to her. "Can you help? What's going on?" 

"I don't know." She replied in a graceful monotone. "And I believe Radu has picked a fight with that man." 

"Can he win?" Suzee demanded. Elmira sighed, brushing a flaming lock of hair from her eyes. 

"I don't know. If he uses his power. If he's willing to hurt Endgame to stop him. Yes. But he isn't fully trained. He could lose this for inexperience." 

"Can't you predict what will happen?" Harlan asked. 

"Yes. I predict that Radu will destroy Endgame and himself to save the children." She cocked her head irately. "Feel better Harlan Band?" 

Talia stood abruptly. 

"Why don't we just remove all those ifs?" She reached hastily for the panel connected to Endgame. 

"NO!" Elmira grabbed the Iolian woman's arm fiercely and pulled her back. 

"Why are we trusting a Spung?" Talia demanded. Her nerves were obviously shot. Her eyes brimmed red from lack of sleep and undue stress. 

"He isn't on the dreamplane anymore, you idiot! He's linked mind to mind with Endgame. Do you know what happens when you severe a psychic link?" Elmira's eyes burned golden rose. "Do you know what would happen if you killed Endgame?" 

"You kill Radu." Suzee sighed. Talia recoiled in shock. She had almost made a grave error by acting on her anger. 

"If you can't help, why did you come?" The Earther boy retorted. Elmira turned back to Radu and brushed a gentle hand over the boy's face. 

"He called me. So I came." 

"Is that all it takes?" Goddard asked trying to deal with the Spung's sudden appearance. She shook her head. 

"No." She looked up at him with tremulous eyes. "I won't come if he's dealing with something I've already taught him to handle. But as I said, I'm not through training him." 

"Must be some training. To take that long." Suzee remarked cattily. Rosie eyed her curiously. Suzee knew something. 

"I have a distinct disadvantage, Farseer, if you'll remember. Radu can't remember anything before he was mindwiped at six." She waited for that to hit then continued. "I get glimpses of the life we had, but since I met him again, it's been like teaching him from day one. Except during day one, I didn't have emotional baggage to deal with." 

She raised her brows at Suzee disdainfully. "Does that answer your question?" 

"I suppose." 

"So is he losing?" Bova asked suddenly. 

Elmira almost smiled. "No, he's doing alright." She sighed. "Why do you need me here, Radu?" 

"_You_ have experience." Suzee accused. "Why don't you go in there and help?" 

"Because Radu's stronger than I am. If he can't handle it, I definitely cannot." Elmira broke her stare at Radu to eyes Suzee. "And If I interfered, he'd spend his time protecting me, and not fighting for himself." 

"So we just... wait?" Goddard said dubiously. He wasn't happy about this. He needed to be doing something to help. Elmira made a single nod and sat beside Radu. She slowly took his hand. 

"So..." Bova began, smirking. "You're like, thirty, right?" 

"Thirty-two." She paused, then chuckled. "I figured Radu would tell you. I know I don't really look it. I'm rather small. I take after my mother." 

"Where is she? Your mother, I mean." Rosie asked. "I've never seen her on the ship." 

"She died when I was young." The Sorola smiled reminiscently. "My father... has never been gentle with women." 

"I'm sorry." Rosie said softly. 

"Don't be. I only have good memories of her. She was very inspirational. In her own way." A chilling silence came on them when she finished speaking. Elmira starred hard at Radu's eyelids, fluttering in the distress of dark dreams. Widening her eyes in understanding, she stood and crossed her hands. 

Suzee and Goddard hit the floor clutching their heads in pain. 

"What did you just _do_?" Goddard raged. Suzee glanced upward in hateful sentiment as Rosie and Davenport tried to help them up. 

"I put a psychic shield on you two." She explained. "Endgame was sending out an attack. If he had succeeded, Radu would have had to divert precious attention to help you." 

"Wouldn't that take away from Endgame's attention?" Rosie asked, helping Suzee to a chair. 

"Yes. A dangerous gambit. Endgame must be getting desperate." Elmira's visage took on a light of hope. 

***

Radu backpeddled in the vast expanse of their minds. It was like swimming, only easier. And harder. He let forth a shot of blue fire. His was fast realizing that this battle was highly symbolic, only making a representation of what they were actually doing to each other's minds. He was also quite aware of what could happen if he lost. 

"Give it up, child. You can't win." Endgame laughed maniacally. His face that was so normal and benign before, was simply frightening in this mental arena, having generated it himself from his deep internal darkness. Radu was repulsed and wondered what his own face looked like. 

"I'll never give up! Especially to you!" Radu wondered where those brave words were coming from, and why he didn't stutter here. "You can't have the minds and souls of those children!" 

"I already have them." Endgame snarled self-importantly. Radu brought both of her hands together for an electric blue bolt. He hit Endgame dead on, but the wicked man only stepped back. 

Returning with a black fire, Endgame's energy enveloped Radu with an incredible searing pain, as thought the flesh itself was being burned from his body. He could feel imaginary tears stinging his eyes. He'd never felt pain like this, even though he knew it wasn't really harming his body. 

"Fire with fire." He said to himself, flying over Endgame and releasing a blaze from the side. Endgame screamed. He red hair, now surrounding his head like a death shroud fluttered back in response before settling. 

"After I destroy you, I'll take the souls of your little friends." 

"No!" Radu yelled charging up another fireball. Endgame hit him off guard. Radu stumbled and fell, the fireball flying off in another direction. 

"No." He said firmly. "I know you hurt. Inside. But I won't give up. And I won't lose!" 

Radu felt all of his strength rising inside him like a spring waiting to burst forth. The pure energy burned his very being, a new day dying to be born. The blue fire engulfed his presence, setting his face, his hair, everything alight with the brightness. 

"I'm sorry for your pain. But I won't lose. I won't forgive you for what you've done. And what you're trying to do." 

"Is that so, little one." Endgame's eyes burned angrily. "As if you could possibly understand what it's like." 

"Here we are. Mind to mind. Do you think I don't understand?" Radu crossed his hands over his chest. His eyes regarded Endgame sadly. He had to stop him. Endgame had those children completely in his thrall. "But I still can't let you do such awful things. It isn't right." 

"Oh, I'm so scared." He sneered. 

"You should be." 

"Bring it on." 

Radu sighed. "You'll wish I hadn't." 

Radu made a wish to himself. Then let forth the fire. 

"Argh!" Endgame roiled in pain. Radu stared at him feeling the pain of his opponent as acutely as his own, but refused to react. Endgame writhed on the imaginary ground for a moment, spurting various profanities as he suffered. 

"You, you little yaro!" Endgame spit at Radu. He struggled to rise. "I'll destroy you. Is that all you've got?" 

A pitiful tear fell from Radu's face as though time itself had slowed for this moment. 

"I haven't shown you anything yet. I'm sorry." Radu said in a half sigh, wishing hard. 

Endgame laughed as Radu let go and floated forward. He closed his eyes and forced his light to swathe Endgame's darkness. 

***

Suzee got up and started to pace. She irritably rubbed her head. Everyone in her society had the same powers, which of course came from the genetic control. No one needed shields. They gave her a massive headache. From the look of those circles forming under the Commander's eyes, his headache was killing him. 

"Why us?" Suzee asked out loud. She hadn't meant it to be a question for the group, but she'd spoken and there they had it. 

"Why us what?" Harlan asked flippantly. 

"Why would Endgame just go after the Commander and me? Radu would be protective of any of us." She shook her head. "He could go after a puppy in the street and Radu would protect it." 

Elmira smiled serenely at the thought of her student's nature. 

"Endgame isn't a terribly diverse sentient from what I've observed. He can only make contact with other telepaths." She tilted her head. "Actually, you surprised me, Commander. Even I didn't see your latent ability." 

"I..." Goddard looked at her severely, obviously trying not to be completely ungrateful for the shield that was squeezing the life out of his brain. "Don't have any psychic abilities." 

Elmira bowed her head and stifled a sound that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. 

"Are you laughing at me?" Goddard wiggled his head indignantly. 

"I'm laughing at someone who has had Receptive and possibly abilities of Foresight for over forty years and had no idea." That time she let go and laughed heartily. "What must that be like? Earthers are so funny." 

"Earthers don't have psychic abilities, princess." 

"Actually, Chef, I have met quite a few Earther telepaths. It's a recessive trait." 

"Very recessive." Goddard remarked sardonically. "If it's such a puny ability, how could Endgame detect it? If you couldn't?" 

"He didn't. Radu did. He probably stole the memory from Radu while they were fighting." 

Goddard rubbed his temple. "That's... disturbed. How long could Radu have known that?" 

Elmira shrugged. "Probably figured it out shortly after he met you. At this point it would be nearly impossible to train without mentally bonding yourself to a teacher. I'd say you would have been better off never finding out. " 

"And I would agree." Goddard replied. Elmira stifled another laugh. 

"Ellie?" A soft query rose from the biobed. Elmira jumped, then leaned over and hugged Radu tightly. 

"Oh, Radu! I was so worried you wouldn't wake up." 

"I didn't _think_ this one was part of our destiny together." 

"Damn you." She kissed him on the forehead. 

"Th-th-they're at the ab-bandoned space dock in the old quarter of Aachen. You'll need doctors. He p-practically killed Nabiki." 

Talia perked up. "The children?" 

"Yeah," Radu seemed a bit out of breath. Talia waved a hand to excuse herself and ran out of the room. Suzee couldn't stand it anymore. She hugged Radu fiercely. 

"I love you." She whispered. 

"Me too!" Rosie cried, jumping in. 

"Next time you want to be a hero, could you clear it with me first?" Goddard put his hands on his hips. 

"Sure thing, Commander." 

"Dude." Harlan muttered. Bova observed the group hug with a headshake and a smile. 

"What about Endgame?" Goddard asked gently. 

"He's... probably not going to wake up." Tears welled in Radu's eyes as he looked over to the man sleeping in the next bed. He marveled at how normal he looked in real life. "I couldn't kill him, Commander. I... I-I trapped him in his hate. He wanted to cause destruction so everyone else could understand the pain _he's_ felt. If he ever repents he'll wake up a better person." 

Radu looked up, lip quivering. 

"I couldn't force him to be good. I couldn't force him to let go of those children. So I had to... bind him" 

Elmira rubbed his soft hair. "You did the right thing, sweetie. I'm proud of the decision you made." 

"Hey!" Talia barked over the comm. "My agents in Aachen just found the children. They think Nabiki will make it, brave little thing." 

"Thank you, Talia." Goddard said shortly. He covered his mouth and returned his gaze to the children. "This is the best kind of closure we could hope for. Oftentimes things don't end this well. At least the children are okay." 

"They're going to need intense psychotherapy." Radu said with concern. 

"Radu... if this had been a normal case, without psychic phenomena, those kids would still need intense psychotherapy to combat the trauma of abduction." He sighed and looked away. "They're alive. You did a good thing." 

Davenport patted Goddard's back. 

"I'm going to submit the evidence and give a statement so they can close this case up. Rest up, we'll be on our way soon." 

Bova looked back and followed Goddard to Talia's office. 

"Can we possibly leave all those telepathic children to discover their abilities alone?" Ms. Davenport fretted. 

"Of course they won't be." Elmira assured her. "They'll have each other. And I'll check up on them from time to time. I bet I can even find a permanent... mentor for them." 

Suzee rubbed Radu's shoulders. "Never saw that side to my powers before. I suppose I should have realized how destructive controlling someone could be." 

"Shades of gray, Suzee." Radu glanced briefly at the active resident checking his status. He was going to be exhausted for the next couple of days. "I don't think anything I've been taught could have prepared me for this." 

Elmira smiled up at Suzee and Radu. "The most important lessons, we cannot teach you. You have to find your own way, your own strength." 

Davenport nodded. Elmira took Suzee's hand and rubbed both hers and Radu's affectionately. 

"However, I trust you to use your light inside to guide you, and make the right decisions." 

_Yeah,_ Radu thought meeting Suzee's eyes. _We can be strong. As long as we believe we can._


End file.
